Gritty In Pink | Shira Yevin
- withitgirl
- Jul 7, 2025
- 5 min read
Updated: Jul 20, 2025
Shira Yevin is a groundbreaking figure in the music and entertainment industry, best known as the founder of Gritty in Pink, a platform dedicated to empowering women in music. Launched in 2020, Gritty in Pink creates opportunities for female and non-binary musicians through performance showcases, a professional network called INPINK, and community-driven support. The platform was born out of Yevin’s passion for equality in a male-dominated industry, aiming to close the gender gap and reshape the narratives around what it means to be a woman in music today.
Yevin’s influence goes back even further, when she made history in 2004 by crashing the Vans Warped Tour in a pink RV and demanding a spot on the lineup for her band, ShiraGirl. That act of defiance led to the creation of the ShiraGirl Stage, a platform that went on to showcase over 300 female-fronted bands during the Warped Tour’s heyday. This moment was a catalyst not just for her own career but for carving out a place for women in alternative and punk music scenes. It was a pivotal milestone in establishing her legacy as a disruptor and advocate.
In 2023 after launching Gritty in Pink, Shira Yevin made headlines as the founder and front woman of SHEblime, the all-female tribute band to Sublime. With the clever twist of replacing Bradley Nowell’s original vocals with her own powerful voice, Shira brought a fresh, feminist energy to the legacy of Sublime, honoring the music while making space for women in punk and reggae rock. The band gained notoriety for their vibrant performances and Yevin's unapologetically bold presence, using the stage as a vehicle for intervention, celebration, and transformation.
Today, Shira continues to be a leading voice for inclusivity in the arts. Through Gritty in Pink and her ongoing projects, she’s building bridges between creators, fans, and industry professionals who believe in equality and authenticity. Whether onstage or behind the scenes, Yevin is dedicated to creating systems of support and platforms of visibility for underrepresented artists. Her journey—from punk rocker to tech entrepreneur—exemplifies the power of persistence, passion, and purpose in driving cultural change.
Hi Shira! Can you tell us where you grew grew and did you play any instruments as a child?
I was born and raised in NJ and started performing dance at the age of 3, always loved the stage. My first instruments were keyboard at 6 and flute at 9, both of which were short lived, but I started playing guitar at 16 which helped me write songs. Overall I identify as a singer/dancer/performer, and my body is my fav instrument!
Who have been some of the artists, musicians that have inspired you throughout your career?
Joan Jett is my #1 inspiration and supporter. We performed together on Warped Tour and she sort of took me under her wing, her label Blackheart Records sponsored the Shiragirl Stage on Warped. Melissa Etheridge has been a huge supporter, and is a Strategic Advisor of Gritty In Pink. Artistically, I’ve been most inspired by Kathleen Hanna/Bikini Kill, Pink, Madonna and Beyonce, as far as female artists. Beyond that, Tim Armstrong of Rancid and Transplants has been a huge influence as my band’s producer and collaborator, and Sublime is my biggest musical inspiration, with their blending of genres and discussion of controversial topics. They were my gateway into punk rock.
When did Gritty in Pink get started and the ALL GRL JAM? And how has it evolved?
Our first All GRL Jam was January 2020! Over COVID we switched to Instagram livestream fundraisers, and started doing virtual workshops. Then we launched the inpink.com marketplace for women working all aspects of the music industry to be hired, and grew into a tech platform with the backing of Live Nation. When shows came back we went full force back into the All GRL Jams with various residencies and themes, from Pride to Women’s Month to 90s to Holidays! We’ve now brought the Jam to music festivals as well, including Warped Tour and FairWell Festival, so we've dabbled in all different genres from pop-punk to even country!
How do you pick the bands to participate? Give us some highlights of this year's lineup?
For the Warped Warmup Tour, we teamed up with Warped Tour to curate headliner talent in line with this year’s lineup—think badass, fun, and totally Warped. We’re excited for rising stars like Royal & the Serpent, Sophie Powers, and fan-faves like Millionaires. Plus Sheblime, of course! Beyond that, we ran a talent search with She is the Music to spotlight raw, mission-aligned artists with strong online presence and passion. And it’s not only bands, we feature special guests musicians from vocalists to drummers. We source most of that talent from INPINK. We also have some incredible special guests at the All GRL Jams this summer including Ava Maybee, Raylin Joy from Calamatix, and even Jennifer Finch from L7 hosting the Echo show.
Tell us about forming SHEblime.
With Sublime being a huge musical influence on me, this was always an idea at the back of my mind, it started with the idea for the name and went from there officially forming in 2023. I've always done original music with my band Shiragirl, but the crowd always responds to covers, so thought it would be fun to try an all-girl tribute band. Vashonda Sherra is our keyboardist and DJ, and part of the original lineup. Our drummer Aixa Vilar plays for the legendary LA band Go Betty Go. Our bassist Alex Windsor is also the Gritty In Pink Musical Director, a guitarist for BadCopBadCop, and we met while she was playing bass for Shiragirl. Our guitarist Liza Light is an incredible solo artist as well as session/gigging/touring lead guitarist.
What have been some of the challenges as a woman in the music industry and how have you overcome those challenges in a positive way? Any advice you want to share?
When we crashed the Warped Tour there were definitely a lot of naysayers saying we weren’t supposed to be there, betting against us making it to the next tour stop. But we persevered and showed up and proved ourselves. My advice is, don’t take no for an answer. If I did, I wouldn’t be where I am today!
Additional Information
All photos courtesy of Shira Yevin
LineUp!!! Vans Warped Tour Long Beach California July 20-24, 2025
Sophie Powers: @sophiep0wers
Millionaires: @millionairesxo
Chandler Leighton: @chandlerleighton
SHEblime: @sheblime
Royal & the Serpent: @royalandtheserpent
Get your tickets here
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